Filling-fork grid for looms.



C. E. NUTTING.

FILLING FORK GRID FOR LOOMS,

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 1|, I916- LQMQW. Patented Feb. 6,1917.

lnvenfor. Charles ENuUing,

Altys.

CHARLES E. NUTTING, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGN- MENTS, TO DRAPER CORPORATION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ACORPORA- TION OF MAINE.

FILLING-FORK GRID FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 191?.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. NUTTING, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Hopedale, county of Worcester, State of Massachusetts,have invented an Improvement in Filling-Fork Grids for Looms, of whichthe following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing,is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing likeparts.

This invention relates to improvements in fork grids for looms and theobject of the invention is to provide a grid construction which will notbe easily fractured.

The usual type of grid comprises a cast metal construction slotted toprovide ribs adapted to cooperate with the weft fork..

The grid is usually attached to the lay, or to the hand rail or both orto some other member of the lay construction. A. common means ofattachment comprises a lug extending laterally from the body of the gridadapted to be bolted to the end of the shuttle box.

These metallic grids are of course subject to the shock and jar of thelay as the same is arrested in beating up the filling and also by reasonof its sudden arrest at the end of its backward movement. Thisfrequently results in the crystallization of the metal and the fractureof the grid, particularly where the grid is supported by the lateralextension above described for in that construction there is aconsiderable weight of metal beyond the support, the inertia of whichtends to bend the grid each time the lay is arrested and the continuousjarring or flexing of the grid, even though the latter is imperceptible,in time causes the crystallization of the web and results in itsfracture.

I have discovered that this may be avoided by embedding in one end orpreferably both ends, of the grid, a reinforcing member of greatertensile strength than that of the material of which the grid is composedadapted to give greater rigidity to the grid and to prevent any flexingof the webs of the grid, thereby practically eliminating the tendency ofthe material of the grid to crystallize.

Other features of the invention will more fully appear from thefollowing description, the accompanying drawing, and will be pointed outin the appended claims.

In the drawings;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the end of the lay of a loom showingthe filling fork in operative relation to the fork grid carried by thelay,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a fork grid embodying my invention, and,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 1 of the drawing illustrates so much of a loom as is necessary toshow the application of my invention and comprises a usual sword 1supporting a lay 2, a hand rail 3, a shuttle guard d, and a portion ofthe shuttle box 5. The fork grid (3 is shown as being secured to therear wall 7 of the shuttle box by a bolt 8. The weft fork 9 isillustrated in operative position in respect to the fork grid to engagethe weft as the lay moves forward to beat up the filling.

The fork grid is usually an integral metal casting rectangular in formand slotted longitudinally to provide a series of ribs adapted tocoiiperate with the tines of the weft fork in engaging the filling uponeach beating up of the lay, a continuous strand of filling serving totilt the weft fork sufficiently to avoid engagement of its looped end10' with mechanism operated by the weft hammer or some other movingactuatorto cause a change in the operation of the loom.

The form of fork grid illustrated herein comprises a rectangular bodyportion 11 having a beveled or inclined upper end, said body portionbeing slotted longitudinally to present a series of parallel ribs 12connected at their ends by webs 13, let. The body portion 11 is alsoprovided with a lateral extension 15 offset from the plane of the faceof the grid and provided with a slot 16 adapted to receive the bolt 8for securing the same to the end of the shuttle box 7. This grid,heretofore has been constructed as an integral casting, usually ofbronze or like material and it has been found that the continued jarringof the lay causes the same to fracture along one of the webs at the endsof the slot, usually at the upper end of the slot nearest the side whichis attached to the shuttle box at the point indicated herein by thenumeral 18. This fracture as above stated is largely due to thecrystallization of the metal by reason of the jarring and slight flexingof the material of the webs.

I have discovered that this difficulty may be overcome by reinforcingone, or preferably both of the ends or webs 13, 1a throughout the widthof the grid by an embedded member of greater tensile strength than thatof the material of which the grid is composed. This reinforcing memberconveniently may be a steel wire or rod 19, preferably cold drawn, whichmay be embedded in the mold in which the grid is made, so that the metalof the grid will be cast around said reinforcing member and causedthereby firmly to adhere to it.

This reinforcing member 19 serves to strengthen the end or ends of thegrid without increasing its bulk and effectively to prevent the fiexingof the webs which connect the longitudinal ribs thus practicallyeliminating the crystallization of the cast metal.

While the drawing illustrates two of these reinforcing members 19,embedded respectively in the webs 13, 14: of the grid, it will beunderstood that a single reinforcing member may be used or that two ormore may be embedded in either or each end as may be found desirable.

It will also be understood that this strengthening means may be appliedto other forms of grid within the meaning and scope of my invention asdefined in the following claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is;

1. An integral cast metal fork grid for Copies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

looms slotted longitudinally to present a plurality of parallel ribs andtransverse end webs combined with a transverse metal reinforcing memberof greater tensile strength than that of the material of which the bodyof the grid is composed, embedded in one of said webs and extendingthroughout the width of the grid whereby without increasing its bulk thegrid is enabled to withstand the continued shock and jar of the loomwithout breakage of said web.

2. An integral cast metal fork grid for looms comprising a bodyportionhaving a lateral supporting extension, said body portion being slottedlongitudinally to present a plurality of parallel ribs and transverseend webs combined with transverse metal reinforcing members of greatertensile strength cast in said webs and extending throughout thewidth ofthe grid whereby without increasing its bulk the grid is renderedcapable of withstanding continued shock with out breakage of the webs.

8. An integral cast metal fork grid for looms slotted longitudinally topresent a pair of parallel longitudinal ribs and transverse end webscombined with transverse reinforcing members of cold drawn steel wireembedded in the casting and extending throughout the width of the gridwhereby the strength of the gridis increased without increase in itsbulk.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES E. NUTTING.

Washington, D. G."

